IKEA PAX Wardrobe Assembly in Newcastle

IKEA PAX wardrobes look brilliant in the planner, but the reality is dozens of boxes, heavy frames that need raising in a room with a sloping ceiling, and sliding doors that never quite line up. It is the kind of job that eats a whole weekend and still leaves a door that drifts open.

Andrew assembles PAX systems for homeowners and renters across Newcastle, Gosforth, Jesmond and the wider North Tyneside area. He builds the frames, stands them up safely, anchors them to the wall, fits hinged or sliding doors and installs the interior fittings, from KOMPLEMENT drawers and shelves to pull-out trays and rails. Before he starts, he checks your planner printout against the room, including skirting, ceiling height and any uneven floors.

Whether it is a single 100cm unit in a spare room or a floor-to-ceiling run with corner sections, the aim is the same: square frames, doors that close with matching gaps, and a wardrobe that is fixed securely so it cannot tip. You get a clean finish with packaging flattened and stacked, ready for your recycling.

What's included

• Checking your PAX planner list and room measurements before the visit
• Building PAX frames and raising them safely
• Wall-anchoring every frame with fixings to suit the wall type
• Fitting hinged doors and adjusting hinges for even gaps
• Assembling and aligning sliding doors, including HASVIK, AULI and similar
• Installing KOMPLEMENT shelves, drawers, rails and pull-out trays
• Scribing or packing around skirting and uneven floors where needed
• Fitting handles and knobs to your chosen positions
• Flattening and stacking packaging for recycling

Room height and skirting: the bits the planner misses

The most common PAX headache is height. A 236cm frame needs space to be tipped up, so the room needs to be a little taller than the frame itself. Andrew checks ceiling height, coving and any light fittings before the visit, and will tell you if the 201cm frames would be the safer choice.

Skirting boards are the next issue. PAX frames are designed to sit tight to the wall, so skirting often needs a notch cut in the back of the frame side, or the frame is fixed slightly forward with packers. Old Newcastle houses rarely have perfectly level floors either, so the frames are packed and checked with a level so the doors hang true.

Why wall-anchoring is not optional

A full PAX wardrobe loaded with clothes is heavy and tall, and an unanchored unit can tip if a drawer is pulled out or a child climbs it. IKEA supplies a basic fixing kit, but the right screws and plugs depend on the wall.

• Solid brick or block: masonry plugs and screws
• Plasterboard on studs: fixing into the timber studs where possible
• Plasterboard with no stud nearby: suitable heavy-duty cavity fixings
• Lath and plaster: finding solid timber behind it or using a batten

Andrew checks for pipes and cables before drilling, and anchors every frame, not just the end ones.

What affects the price

• Number and size of PAX frames
• Hinged or sliding doors, and how many
• Amount of interior fittings such as drawers and pull-outs
• Corner units or ceiling-height runs
• Wall type and how many fixings are needed
• Skirting, coving or uneven floors needing adjustment
• Stairs or tight access to the room